Folding-machine.



G. KLBIM. r FOLDING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILEIISBPT. 5.1906.

906,722. Patented Dee. 15, 1908 4 SHEETS-SHEET 1` G. KLBIM.

FOLDING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED snif", 5,1906.

Patented Dec. 15, 1908.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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G. KLEIM. FOLDING MAGHINE. APPLIATIOH FILED SEPT.5,1906.

Patented Dec. 15,1908.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

G. KLEM.

FOLDING' MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 5,1006.

906,722.' Patented Dec. 15,v 1908.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

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(h-gg@ GUSTAV KLEDI, OF LEIPZlG-LINDENAU, GERMANY.

FOLDING-MACHINE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 15, 1908.

Application filed September 5, 1906. Serial No. 333,367.

To all whom it may concern: Beit known that I, GLsrAv KLEIM, a subjectof the King of Prussia, residing at Leipzlg-Lmdenau, erniany, have.invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Foldlng-Machines, 0fwhich the following is a specification. i

In previous folding machines a single stack of paper is em loyed fromwhich the sheets are carriedto folding rollers one after the other bymeans of a suitable carrying mechanism.

A According to the present invention sheets are fed alternately from twoseparate stacks to the same folding mechanism. In the completeembodiment of lthe invention illustrated, the stacks of paper arearranged at opposite sidesof' the folding apparatus and pneumaticsuction rods operating according Q9 to a well known principle are usedfor con- `veying the sheets from the stacks. These, however, do notconstitute the entire means `oradvancing the sheets, but they bring thesheets only to transporting rollers which are Aarranged near andparallelto the folding rollers; whereupon certain pressure rollersarranged above the transporting rollers are lowered on to the latter soas to press the sheet against them and cause it to be `further advanceduntil it lies over the foldi'ng rollers at the middle of the machine.Duringfthis action of the transporting rollers the suction rod which hascarried the sheet to the transorting rollers returns to its startinposition 1n order to pickup a new sheet, amil the suction rod at theopposite side of the machine moves forward simultaneously in order tocarr its Sheet to the trans orting rollers lying etween'its stack and tie. folding rollers, whereupon the pressure rollers at this side of themachine are lowered to grip the sheet u'pon the transporting 'rollersThereupon from Athis side fof the machine a sheet is shoved over. thefolding rollers while the sheet previously brought between these folding rollers from the other side has been folded and further advanced.

The folded sheetis conveyed to the under side of the transportingrollers and by means of lower pressure rollers is pressed upon the underside of the transport-ing rollers so as to be carried forward sidewisethereby until it lies over a second pair bf folding rollers which arearranged atvright-angles to the first pair. Thus wit a single foldingmechanism (or succession of folding mechanisms for`efl`ecting successivefolds) the output of themachine is doubled (that is compared with maclunes using a single feeding mechanism) vsince the folding 4mechanismmay be operated at twice the speed of the mechanism for picking up andfeeding the separate sheets thereto.

A folding machine embodying the invention is shown in the accompanyingdrawings.

Figure l shows the machine in side elevation; Fig. 2 is a verticallongitudinal section of the saine on line Lk-A of Fig. 3 Fig. 3 is atransverse section on the line B-B of Fig. 2; Fig.- 4 is a horizont alsectionon the line C-C of Fig. l; Figs. 5 to ll are separate detailspartly on an enlarged scale.

Referring to the embodiment of the invention illustrated, there areprovided on opposite sides of the main. frame a platforms or tables barranged to slide up and down, being guided by attached rollers bworking in guides a. The tables carry stacks b2 of the sheets to befolded. The lifting of the top sheet of each stack is effected in anyknown or suitable way such, for example, as by means of suction rods cextent ing transversely of the machine and provided with mouth pieces c.The rods c are connected with swinging arms c2 by means of links c3 andare thereby alternately carried from the stack to the central part ofthe machine and back to their starting positions so that when .onesuction rod is in position to lift a sheet from its stack the other rodstands near the middle of the machine. Thus the two suction rodssimultaneously move to the right or to the left. The simultaneousoperation of the two airs of swinging arms c2 1s effected by a slit ingrode" which is in engagement with a curved groove cG in a cam c7 on theshaft (1,2 and which is reciprocated by such cam, its movement beingtransmitted to the swinging arms c2. by means of links c5 (see Figs. 1and 3). Each suction rod c is offset or cranked at its ends and the bentends are carried in rollers c3 by means of which they are supported uponthe upper faces of rocking rails (l arranged at op )osito sides of themachine and along whicht e suction rods are moved back and forth.

'lhe tilting rails d are pivoted-upon pins d on the frame a and effect a.loweri'nr of the suction rod on the stack of sheets and a raising ofthe rod with-the attached sheet to carry it to the table a.3 and overthe gage al on said table (and preferably adjustablyarranged thereon,and a second lowering upon the table. The desired movements of the railsd are effected from the shaft a2 by means of slotted links d2 embracingthe shaft and engaged by the groove of a cam d3.

The suction mouth pieces c are so arranged that their lower corner whichis toward the corresponding swinging arms c2 lies almost exactly in linewith the center of the rollers e8, so that the mouth pieces c may beturned about their rear corners (Fig.` 2, right-hand side, and Fig. 7),and thus against the pressure of a spring c (Figs. 8 and 9) which at oneend is fastened to the linko3 and at the other end to the suction rodc', and which is strained in such a direction as to turn the cranked endof the suction rod c until its projection cl2 strikes. against the stopcl3. In this position the suction mouth ieces stand as in Fig. 6 and linthis position t ey are lowered upon the to sheet vof--paper.

The tilting of he mouth pie es is eected by means of a crank lever e,the upper end of which is slotted so as to form a fork which Aembracesthe suctionrod c. The other arm of the crank lever eis connected bymeans o f a link e to a second crank lever e2 which is operated by meansof a rod e3 which is reciprocated by means of a cam eL on the shaft a2.While the mouth piece thus receives a backward swinging movementandbends u the forward edge of the up ermost sheet iig. 2, right-handside, Fig. 7 lp jets of air are blown through blowing nozzles f againstthe upper sheet of the stack in order to effect the release of the upermost sheet from those lying immediately t ereunder.

The sucking of the air out of the suction rod as well as theintroduction of compressed air into the blowing nozzles j" is eHected bymeans of a pump f which may be as shown a double acting piston pump setin operationV by means of a gear wneel f2. The wheel j'2 may be rotatedby means of a pinion f3 .on the main shaft a3.

Since the suction and the pressure for the suction mouth pieces and theblowing nozzl'es of eachl related pair must be effected at the sametime, the operation of therpump is used to obtain this effect. Thevacuum at one side of the piston is connected with the suction rod, andthe pressure at the opposite side of the piston is connected with theblowing nozzles. Since the suction mouth pieces and blowing nozzles atone side of the machine work alternately with the corresponding membersat the o posite side, it is necessary that the pum s all be alternatelycon-l nected to the mec anisms at opposite sides. This intermittentconnection is eected by means of a valve f4, Figs. 3, 10 and 11, thestem of which is oscillated and the valve is of v the rotary plug typeprovided with two sets larly of each othena casing being provided withsix ports.

The two upper ports f5, f' are connected respectively with the upper'and the lower ends of the pump cylinder' (Fig. 3). The `port e9 isconnected by means of a pipe with lthe suction member at the. rightofthe machine, and the port f8 is'connected through another pipe withthe righthand blowing nozzle f', while at the other side of the framethe port f7 is connected with the left-hand blowing nozzle f and theport 01 with the left-hand suction pipe c.

The .operation of the valve is effected by means of a lever f l, Fig. 2,which has a toothed engagement with a sector on the valve spin dle, andwhich at its opposite end is engaged with a rod f1", the latter beingoperated bya cam f11 on the shaft a2 so that for each half revolution ofthe shaft' the valve spindle is turned through a quarter of arevolution. i

The pump is thus alternately connected with the right-hand pair or withthe left-hand pair of devices. l p

The sheets as they are lifted are alternately carried by the mouthpieces c toward the middle of the machine and to a point'where they lieover transporting rollers g suitably mounted upon the frame a. While thesuction mouth pieces hold a sheet over these rollers g, pressure rollersh" are `lowered on to the transporting rollers so as to hold the sheetbetween the rollers g and'h `yand so that the sheet will be advanced bythe rotating rollers yg to the middle of the machine, until it strikes agage al?. The transporting rollers g are arranged on shafts g which aresuitably rotated by means of a chain drive g2, which latter is driven bymeans of pinions g3, g4 (see Fig. 4), the latter being driven by a gearg5 on the shaft a2. rI.`he gear g5 is driven by a inion f3 (Fig. l) 'onthe main sha-ft 0.9. Y he `alternate upward and downward movement of thepressure rollers h may be effected by the mechanism shown in Fig. 5.Levers h2 connected with levers h are oscillated by a y cam e4 whichcarries on its periphery a curve for effecting the desired movements. l

The sheet placed at the middle of the ma'- chine and against the gage a4is forced bel tween the two folding rollers 7c by means of a foldingknife t mounted in guides as on the frame 0J of the machine and movedupward and downward by means of cams i2 and the connecting rods i. Thefolding rollers 7c fold the sheet together and shove it with its foldedi edge forward into the guides a@ which likef wise may be provided witha gage 0,7. The guides a. are curved in such direction that the foldedsheet is carried sidewise under the rollers'g.. The rollers pass throughtthe upper one of the guides, so that the folded sheet can be pressedagainst the under side ofthe rollers g by means of the lower pressurerolls l,

whereupon therollers lg further advance the sheet untn it strikesagainst'the end of the l first sheet over the first pair of foldingrollers guide, or against. a gage (1.7. In this position the sheet liesover a second pair of folding rollers n, which are arrange at a riglitangle to the first pair of foldingl rollers lc, and under a foldingknife fmbelonging to these second' rollers. This knife is carried onarms lm. and is raised and lowered by means of the lever m3 which isoperated by the cam I'm2 on the face of the pinion g". The folding knifem resses the sheet, which has already been `olded once, between therollers n, which grasp the sheet and conduct it to any suitable table(not shown). The second fold is at right angles to the first. Thelowerpressure rollers Z are pressed against the transporting rollers gby-means of anale levers l operated by cams Z2 ony the shaft a5. Thesecond folding rollers n are also driven from the shaft 1.5 through a)inion n. and conical pinions 71.2,' while the foiding rollers c receivetheir movement from the previously described chain gearing g2. Thesheets may be conducted from the second air of folding rollers to athird folding mec ianism similar to the second, or in fact through anynumber of folding mechanisms acting successively. In order to maintainthe stack of sheets always at the same height necessary for the suctionrod, the tables b supporting the stacks b2 are slowly raised by means ofa ratchet t* operating a spindle b3.

The operation of the machine is as follows :--From the two stacks ofsheets b2 the suction rods c alternately lift a sheet and carry it overthe trans orting rollers g, whereupon the pressure rol ers are loweredupon the corresponding rollers 0, so that the sheet is gripped betweenthe rollers 71. and g, and is theref re shoved over the middle of theinachine tothe gage (t4. During the forward movement of one sheet by itssuction rod, the. other suction rod moves backward in order to effectthe movement of the next sheet from the other stack. The sheet which islaid u )on the middle of the machine is pressed between the foldingrollers /c by the falling of the folding knife i, and is led out of thefolding rollers into the guides a. But before it is released from therollers 7c, the

`sheet with its folded edge is pressed by the pressure rollers Z frombelow against the rollers f/ at the left side of the machine, and isfurther advanced until its edge strikes the gage a7. ranged in a planeat right angles to that of the first fold-ing knife i, presses the sheetalong a iine at. right angles to the first fold into the space-betweenthe rollers ln, out of which the now cross-folded sheet can be conductedand stacked. Any-additional number of folds may be provided, aspreviously explained, before the sheets are stacked. While the suctionrod which has carried the The second folding knife m arV 4the secondpair of folding rollers.

returns to its starting position in order to pick up anew sheet andcarry ii forwardihe other suction rod moves forward and brings from itsside a new sheet over the iirst pair of folding rollers, while tliesheetfirst 'folded has been further advanced in the. mez-mtime to From thesecond pair of folding rollers the sheet may be conducted to additionalfolding rollers as I desired.

Though l have described with great particularity of detail a. certainspecific embodiment of the invention, yet it is not to be understoodtherefrom that the invention is limited to thc specific embodimentdisclosed. Various modifications thereof in detail, and in thearrangement. and combination of the parts, may be made by thoseskilledin the art, without departure from the invention.

What I claim is 1. A machine for folding single sheets one after anotherfrom stacks of sheets, said maA chine including in combination a foldingmechanism, a transporting mechanism at each of two opposite sides ofsaid folding mechanism, said transporting mechanisms operatingalternately to cach other and adapted to transport a sheet to saidfolding mechanism, and a suction rod at each side adapted to pick up asheet l'rom a stack and carry it to the corresponding transportingn'iechanisin, said suction rods operating alternately to each other,whereby sheets are fed alternately from opposite sides and folded oneafter another bythe said folding mechanism.

2. A foldingl machine including in combi nation a central pair offolding rollers transporting rollers g at each side oll said foldingrollers, pressure rollers l/i above said transporting rollers, twosuction rods arranged to carry sheets alternately to the transportingrollers at opposite sides of the folding rollers, said transportingrollers arranged to further conduct the sheets to a position over thi.`folding rollers, and a risingl and falling knife for forcing the sheetbetween the folding rollers.

3. A folding machine including` in coinbi nation a folding meclianismincluding foldingr rollers, transporting rollers at opposite sides ofsaid folding mechanism and adapted to transport. sheets to a positionover said folding rollers, means for conducting folded sheets frombetween said rollers to the under side of the transporting rollers atone side of said folding mechanism, and means for pressing such foldedsheets against the under side of the transiiorting rollers under whichthey are conducted.

4. A folding nnichiiie including in combination a central pair offolding rollers 7c, transport'ing'rollers g at each side of said foldingrollers, pressure rollers 71- above said transporting rollers, twosuotion'rods arranged to I yIn Witness whereof, I have hereunto signedcarry sheets alternafcelTk to the transporting my name in the presenceof tWo subscribing 10 rollersat opposite sides'of the folding rollers,Witnesses.

said transporting rollers arranged to further conduct the sheets to aposition over the i folding rollers, and a rising and falling knifeWitnesses: for forcing the sheet between the folding .JULrUs GIESECKE,rollers, Vl/'ALLHER DALLCHAN.

GUSTAV KLEIM.

